Biography of Raul Ruidiaz [Age, Height, Family, Wife, Net Worth & Salary]

Raul Ruidiaz: Early Life

Raul Mario Ruidiaz Misitich was born to his parents, Raul Ruidiaz Chuica and Tatiana Miletich, on 25 July 1990 in Villa Maria del Triunfo, Peru.

Like most other South American kids, Raul dreamed of becoming a professional footballer at a very young age.

Therefore, to realize his dreams, Ruidiaz joined the youth academy of Universitario de Deportes at the tender age of 8.

After that, the Lima native rose through the ranks of Deportes until he got promoted to the first team in January 2008.

Soon after, the Sounders striker was loaned to the club’s B team America Cochahuayco with whom he showed his flashes of brilliance.

Consequently, the next season, Raul got the opportunity to play for the first Universitario de Deportes.

It is at this club that the young player would make a name for himself in world football.

Raul Ruidiaz: Career & Stats

Ruidiaz made his professional debut for Deportes against Total Chalaco on 4 October 2009 at 19.

After that, the Lima native mesmerized everybody as he played in nine games scoring three goals.

Added to that, Raul won his first national title in just his first season as a professional, which made his debut season even better.

Thus, everyone expected a young Ruidiaz to take his game to the next level as he had the required ability and determination to become one of the greats.

Staying true to everyone’s expectations, the 29-year-old scored seven goals and provided four assists in his 37 appearances for the club in his second season.

Consequently, many top clubs in Chile and South America wanted the services of the young prodigy.

However, he decided to stay with his boyhood club for another year before moving to one of the biggest clubs in Chile, Universidad de Chile.

Subsequently, in January 2012, the Peruvian international signed for Universidad de Chile to take his game to the next level.

On the contrary, his time with the club turned out to be a nightmare as he fell out of favor with the manager due to a lack of playing time.

Consequently, Raul decided to sign for Cortiba until the end of the 2012 season as he wanted more playing time.

Although he did not score any club goals, he more than impressed many scouts with his technical ability and winning mentality.

After that, Ruidiaz stayed in his home country for another four years before deciding to take his talents elsewhere. And that elsewhere happened to be in Mexico.

Ruidiaz had some of the best moments of his career with Morelia.

On 1 July 2016, Mexican club Morelia signed the forward on a season-long loan deal for a reported €105,000.

Subsequently, the Peruvian international scored on his home debut in a 2-2 draw against Queretaro, which indicated the sign of things to come in the future.

And that is precisely what happened as Raul finished the season as the top scorer in the Liga MX with 11 goals.

Furthermore, the 29-year-old finished the season with 20 goals and a solitary assist in his 34 appearances in all competitions.

As a result of his outstanding first season with the club, clubs in the MLS circle around the Morelia striker, but Morelia convinced Raul to stay with them and help them as they were among the primary candidates relegated.

Subsequently, the Lima native did exactly what was expected of him as he helped his side avoid relegation through his goals.

To emphasize, Ruidiaz scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Monterrey that helped Morelia avoid relegation.

He also finished the season as the top scorer in the Liga MX for the second consecutive season.

Likewise, Ruidiaz ended with 21 goals and three assists in 39 appearances for the club.

Following his heroic performances and loyalty, Morelia decided to grant Raul’s wished as they put him on the auction block.

Consequently, many top clubs showed interest in the Peruvian international as he had established himself as a lethal goal scorer.

But in the end, it was Seattle Sounders that managed to sign Ruidiaz for $7.5 million in 2018.

Soon after signing the contract with Sounders, the 29-year-old became one of the league’s highest-paid players.

Raul’s years of hard work and dedication had finally paid off as he earned in the millions.

Subsequently, to nobody’s surprise, Ruidiaz immediately impacted his new club as he became the fastest player in Seattle Sounder’s history to reach 10 goals in just 14 games.

Also, Raul became the first player to score in eight consecutive games for the club.

Nevertheless, Raul showed precisely why the Sounders paid such a huge fee for him as he finished the season with 13 goals and one assist in just 16 appearances.

The following season was even better for the Peruvian striker as he managed to score 15 goals and provide five assists in 26 appearances.

Additionally, he helped the Seattle-based franchise to reach its second consecutive playoffs by finishing second once more.

And this time, Raul helped his team win the MLS Cup as they won the final 3-1 against Toronto FC.

Furthermore, Ruidiaz scored his side’s third and final goal in the 90th minute, putting the icing on the cake of his terrific season.

At the time of writing, only two games have been played in the MLS due to the world pandemic of Coron Virus (COVID-19).

Due to the virus, all the top sporting leagues worldwide have been postponed, including the MLS.

However, we have full faith in Ruidiaz and the Sounders to defend their title whenever the league resumes.

International Career

Raul made his international debut for Peru on 7 June 2011 against Japan in the Kirin Cup.

Subsequently, the Lima-born striker was included in the Copa America squad of Peru that finished third.

After that, the 29-year-old striker played in the Copa America Centenario in 2016.

His most memorable moment of the Copa game against Brazil. All because he scored a controversial winner in a 1-0 victory that helped Peru secure the top spot in Group B.

After that, Raul made his first World Cup appearance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Subsequently, Ruididaz appeared in two matches as a substitute but did not score any goals.

The 29-year-old has played in 44 matches for his national team scoring four goals and assisting four times.

Although the tally may seem bleak for an outstanding goal-scorer, he has not really been able to cement a starting spot in the Peruvian team.

Nonetheless, judging by his excellent club form for Seattle Sounders, we have full confidence in Raul to earn a starting spot in Peru’s national team.

How old is Raul Ruidiaz? Height & Body Measurements

Having been born in the year 1990 makes Raul’s age 29 years currently.

Most footballers hit their peak form during this same age, and the 29-year-old is no different as he managed to score 11 goals in his 22 appearances for the Sounders last season.

The Seattle striker stands at 5 feet 7 inches (1.69m), which is quite small for a forward as they need to battle with strong and tall defenders.

Nevertheless, Ruidiaz has turned his disadvantage into an advantage as his low center of gravity helps him change directions and smoothly go past defenders.

Added to that, his pace and trickery help the Peruvian international to score goals from anywhere on the field.

As a result, Raul is one of the most feared strikers playing in the MLS currently.

Raul Ruidiaz: Net Worth & Salary

As of 2021, Ruidiaz has a net worth of $5 million, accrued mainly through his football activities.

The Peruvian international signed for the Seattle Sounders in a $7.5 million deal from his previous club Morelia in 2018.

According to the contract, Raul earns $1.8 million per year or $37,000 per week, which puts him in the top 10 highest-paid players in the MLS.

Furthermore, the 29-year-old also makes extra money from goals and appearances-related bonuses, which adds to his eye-watering yearly salary.

TransferMarkt

The TransferMarkt website values Ruidiaz at €6.5 million, which is the highest he has ever been valued.

And at 29 years of age, the Peruvian striker is in his peak form, as suggested by his outstanding goal-scoring record in the MLS.

Raul Ruidiaz: Family & Wife

Raul is in a loving relationship with his wife, Pia Ruidiaz. The couple met each other back in their homeland of Peru and have been together ever since.

After dating for a while, the lovers decided to solidify their relationship by tieing the knot.

Since then, the two lovebirds have been blessed with a son, Raul Alessandro and Tatiana, named after Ruidiaz’s mother.

Furthermore, the 29-year-old regularly posts pictures with his two kids on his various social media accounts.

The family seems to be extremely satisfied with their life as they are often seen hanging out whenever Ruidiaz is not on the football pitch.

Raul Ruidiaz named to MLS Team of the Week

Major League Soccer named Sounders FC forward Raúl Ruidíaz to the Week 1 MLS Team of the Week.

All for his two-goal performance in Seattle’s 4-0 win over Minnesota United FC at Lumen Field.

Coming off a campaign where he was named to the MLS Best XI, Ruidíaz picked up right where he left off as he bagged a brace in Sounders FC’s 2021 home opener.

Both goals were textbook examples of center-forward play, with Ruidíaz drifting away from defenders in the box and calmly dispatching his goals.

Homegrown midfielder Josh Atencio, 19, was named the Team of the Week bench after putting in a promising two-way shift against Minnesota in his first MLS start.

Sounders FC returns to action on Saturday as they visit LAFC at Banc of California Stadium (ESPN; 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).

Social Media Presence

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